Romney, Alexander to buck Trump on national emergency

“I am seriously concerned that overreach by the Executive Branch is an invitation to further expansion and abuse by future president,” said Mitt Romney, an occasional critic of the president. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Two more Senate Republicans — Mitt Romney of Utah and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee — will support a House resolution to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency at the border.

Romney and Alexander are the latest GOP senators to break with the president on his plans to unilaterally steer funds his border wall, joining Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina had written an op-ed denouncing Trump’s national emergency declaration, though it was unclear this week how he would vote.

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In a statement, Romney described Thursday’s vote on the House resolution of disapproval as “a vote for the Constitution and for the balance of powers that is at its core” and emphasized his stance was “not a vote against border security.”

“I am seriously concerned that overreach by the Executive Branch is an invitation to further expansion and abuse by future president,” said Romney, an occasional critic of the president.

Alexander took to the Senate floor Thursday to reiterate his support for Trump’s border wall while emphasizing Congress’ role as a check on the executive branch. Alexander said after his speech that he will support the House resolution.

“This declaration is a dangerous precedent,” he said. “Any appreciation for our structure of government means that no president should be able to use the National Emergencies Act to spend money that Congress refuses to provide.”

The additional Republican defections amount to a growing rebuke to the White House, which sought to convince the GOP to stick with the president.

Earlier this week, Lee and Tillis attempted to reach some sort of deal with the White House to try to maintain party unity. In exchange for White House support of Lee’s bill to update the National Emergencies Act requiring congressional approval of national emergencies, some Republican senators were willing to consider voting against the House measure.

But Trump told Lee Wednesday that he would not endorse his bill, leaving skeptical Republicans with few options.

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.

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